Being deployed in the military can make it difficult to do many of the things that most of us take for granted as we go about our lives. Not only does it mean being away from your family and all the comforts of home and perhaps putting your life at risk, for some service members it also means that voting is no longer as easy as just driving to a polling place.

According to recent estimates by the U.S. Department of Defense, more than 1.3 million active-duty service members are deployed around the world, with about 826,000 serving in the nation’s National Guard and Reserve forces.

Deployed members of the military can vote absentee through a program called the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act. The law gives special absentee voting rights to active members of the U.S. Armed Forces and National Guard and the U.S. Merchant Marine and their spouses, when they’re stationed outside their county of residence.

Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann’s office is launching an information campaign to help advise Mississippi service members of their rights, he announced last week.

More than 4,000 Mississippi guard members are training in Fort Bliss, Texas, to prepare for later deployment to the Middle East. They’ll be getting one of about 4,000 wallet-sized cards with information on how to cast their votes in upcoming elections. In addition, the agency is sending training packets for officers in charge of distributing election-related information on bases and overseas.

“Our deployed military men and women have to be away from their homes and families while serving overseas and fighting to protect our freedoms. The least we can do for them is make sure they aren’t away from the ballot box,” Hosemann said.

Under the law, eligible citizens may fill out a Federal Post Card Application to simultaneously register to vote for the first time and request an absentee ballot for an upcoming election. State law allows Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act applicants to return the post card form via mail, email or fax. Electronic signatures are permitted.

Hosemann added that circuit clerks must begin sending absentee ballots for these overseas absteen voting citizens who have requested a ballot on April 21, or at least 45 days before the June 5 primary election. The registration deadline for Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act voters is May 26. A new voter’s Federal Post Card Application form must be received by this date for the registration to be effective for primary election day, June 5. Ballots cast by mail, email or fax must be received by 7 p.m. central time on primary election day.

The post card form, ballot and step-by-step instructions on how to complete both are available on Y’all Vote at http://www.yallvote.sos.ms.gov. For more information about the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act or the Federal Voting Assistance Program, visit www.fvap.gov.